Faithfully, Johnny Mathis’ sixth album to earn gold RIAA certification and in only four calendar years’ time, is a masterful demonstration of romantic sensation. Johnny Mathis’ warm baritone vocals accompanied with Glenn Osser’s orchestra make it hard-pressed for any listener not to feel irresistible emotions of love, longing, and faith. A series of romantic ballad covers, this Long Playing spans twelve songs with a comfortable length of 45 minutes and 33 seconds.
The album begins with the eponymous title track “Faithfully”. As the song plays, the listener is wistfully carried away by Mathis’ soothing vocals and bellowing harmonies. On this romantic sonic ride, Mathis harmonizes of obedience to the love he shares with someone. He speaks not of just bare dedication to someone, but the sustained love that is authentic and passionate. That is faithfulness.
A personal highlight of mine “Nobody Knows (How Much I Love You)” is four minutes of shivering goosebumps. This song perfectly exemplifies the type of love that is simply inexpressible; the feelings that arise in solitude and absence of that person.
Halfway through the album we are greeted with “You Better Go Now”, a vulnerable confession of deep adoration for someone. A recognition of deeper feelings and the fear that comes with it. Fear that manifests as an insecure belief that things are going too well and it will somehow end in tragic heartbreak; you can’t help but think “you better go now”.
It cannot go without mentioning the album’s one single “Mariah”, a song from the 1957 Broadway musical West Side Musical. Mathis performs a powerful rendition of “Mariah”, a song detailing the mere excitement of saying the name of a romantic interest.
The single was released twice, the first being four months after the original LP hit storefronts, and the second release was in conjunction with 1961’s West Side Musical film adaptation. Both releases of the single charted and peaked at number 78 and 88 respectively.
Faithfully is a conceptually romantic classic and Mathis is in peak vocal ability on this album. Although this sound and era of music is long gone, it is always a treat to look back at the legends that paved the way.
Album score: 8
